Trunk light switch and housing

ABSTRACT

A unitary combination automatic on-off switch and lamp housing for lighting the interior of automobile trunks and the like with the opening of the trunk door lid comprising a mounting and actuator spring; said spring having a grounded base for mounting, an arm for actuating, and an intermediate span; and a housing secured to the span including a lamp socket and lamp ground and current terminal wherein the spring moves the body to engage the ground terminal with grounded structures to close a circuit through the lamp when the door is open and out of engagement with the actuator arm; and the arm, when engaged by the door when closed, moves the body to disengage the ground terminal with grounded structure to open a circuit through the lamp.

United'States Patent [72] lnventor Theodore E. Fiddler 2,734,992 2/1956 Elliott et al. 200/6l.62X 1268 Suffleld Drive, Birmingham, Mich. 3,193,673 7/1965 Herring 200/61.62X

[211 Appl No Primary Examiner-J. R. Scott [22] Filed Jan. 26, 1970 Attorney-W1llram T. Sevald [45] Patented Apr. 27, 1971 ABSTRACT: A unitary combihationautomatic on-of f switch 54] TRUNK LIGHT SWITCH AND HOUSING and lamp housing for lighting the interior of automobile trunks and the like with the opening of the trunk door lld comprising 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figs.

v a mounting and actuator sprmg; said spring having a grounded [52] US. Cl. ZOO/61.62, base f mounting an am f actuating and an intermediate zoo/6131120051301240/7-1 span; and a housing secured to the span including a lamp Int. Cl. ocket and lamp ground and current tern-final wherein the [50] Field of Search ZOO/61.62, spring moves h b d to engage the ground terminal with 6117 61-761 61-81; 240/7-1 grounded structures to close a circuit through the lamp when the door is open and out of engagement with the actuator arm; [56] References cued and the arm, when engaged by the door when closed, moves UNITED STATES PATENTS the body to disengage the ground terminal with grounded 2,101,748 12/1937 Michel etal.

structure to open a circuit through the lamp.

Patented April 21, 1911 3,576,409

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ATTORNEY 1 TRUNK LIGHT SWITCH AND HOUSING This invention relates to automobile trunk light switch and lamp holders and in particular to a unitary combination of a mounting, supporting, and actuator spring with a housing having a lamp socket and electrical terminals.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, easily mountable and easily replaceable trunk light assembly.

An object of the invention is to provide a unitary trunk light switchand lamp holder combination which is dependable in operation and uncomplicated in design, construction, manufacture, installation, removal, and replacement.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following description of a trunk light assembly of a lamp and a switch embodying the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a trunk light assembly as viewed from. the top of FIG. 2 and showing internal structure in broken lines; I

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1 taken on the line 2-2 thereof, showing the assembly in the illuminating position in conjunction with a trunk lid door indicated in broken lines in an open position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the assembly in the nonilluminating position in conjunction with a trunk lid door indicated in broken lines in a closed position; and

FIG. 4 is an end-elevational view of the assembly as seen from the left of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

.Referring now to the drawing wherein like numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the trunk light assembly shown therein to illustrate the invention comprises a mounting and actuator spring 11 and a lamp and terminal housing 12.

The spring 11 has a mounting base 14, an actuator arm 15, and a span 16 between the base 14 and arm 15. The housing 12 has a lamp socket 17, a lamp shield-reflector 18, a current terminal 19, and a ground terminal 20. The housing 12 is secured to the spring 11 by a rivet 21. A lamp 22 in the socket 17 has an annular case 23 in contact with the ground terminal 20 and a pin 24 in contact with the current terminal 19. Lugs 25 on the lamp case 23 coact with bayonet slots 26 in the socket 17 to secure the lamp in the socket. A prong 20A on the ground terminal 20 extends toward the base 14 of the spring 11.

The base 14 of the spring 11 has an aperture receiving the the body 31 and swings between the open position out of engagement with the arm 15 indicated in FIG. 2 and the closed position in engagement with the arm 15 indicated in FIG. 3.

The ground terminal and prong 20A constitutes a ground strip for the lamp 22. The housing 12 is made of electrical insulating material such as synthetic resin. It will thus be understood that the current terminal 19 and ground terminal 20 when attached to the case are insulated electrically from one another. The socket 17 of the housing 12 holds the lamp 22 with its case 23 in contact with the ground strip terminal 20 and prong 20A and with its pin 24 in contact with the current terminal 19.

mounting screw 29 and a tang 30 seated in a recess of the v trunk 31 to prevent pivoting. The span 16 of the spring 11 has an opening 32 providing access to the screw 29 and space for the ground terminal tang 20A to enter to contact the base 14 without contact with the span 16. A hook 33 may be lanced out of the base 14 and engaged with the sidewall defining the opening 32 in the span 16 to limit outward flexing of the span 16 and arm 15 relative to the base 14 as a safety factor. With the screw 29, tang 30, and/or base 14 making electrical contact with the body 31, the spring 11 is grounded. By attachment of a lead wire to the current terminal 19, the lamp 22 is connected to electrical power. The door 34 is hinged on In operation with the'assembly 10 mounted as shown, when the trunk like door 34 is closed, FIG. 3, in engagement with the arm 15, the door 34 depresses the arm 15 and span 16 relative to the base 14 and holds the ground terminal prong 20A out of electrical contact with the base 14 opening the electrical circuit through the lamp 22 so that the lamp 22 is not energized when the trunk lid door 34 is closed. When the trunk lid door is open, FIG. 2, out of engagement with the arm 15, the spring 11 span 16 flexes upwardly as shown to the position of FIG. 2, whereat the ground contact prong 20A is urged in electrical contact with the base 14 closing the electrical circuit through the lamp 22 and energizing the lamp 22 to illuminate the interior of the trunk 31.

The scope of the invention is defined in the appended claim.

lclaim:

1. A unitary combination automatic on-off position switch and lamp-housing mountable on an automobile trunk defining interior space equipped with a door providing closure for and access to the interior of the trunk to provide illumination in the trunk interior with the opening of the door and to terminate illumination in the trunk interior with the closing of the door, comprising:

a combined mounting and actuator spring having a base securable to and electrically groundable on the body, an actuator arm depressibly engageable by the door, and a span between said base and said arm;

an electrically nonconductive housing attached to said span having a lamp receiving socket, an electrical ground contact strip leading from said socket toward said spring, and an electrical current supply contact terminal leading to said socket for connection to current supply;

said socket, ground strip, and current terminal being adapted to receive a lamp in an electrical circuit between said ground strip and said current terminal;

said spring being normally biased to displaceably urge said ground strip into electrical contact with said spring to close the circuit through and energize the lamp to illuminate the interior of the body when the door is open out of depressing engagement with said spring actuator arm;

said spring actuator arm when the door is depressibly engaged therewith as when closed overcoming the normal bias of said spring to displace said ground strip out of electrical contact with said spring to open the circuit through and deenergize the lamp to terminate illumination of the interior of the body. 

1. A unitary combination automatic on-off position switch and lamp-housing mountable on an automobile trunk defining interior space equipped with a door providing closure for and access to the interior of the trunk to provide illumination in the trunk interior with the opening of the door and to terminate illumination in the trunk interior with the closing of the door, comprising: a combined mounting and actuator spring having a base securable to and electrically groundable on the body, an actuator arm depressibly engageable by the door, and a span between said base and said arm; an electrically nonconductive housing attached to said span having a lamp receiving socket, an electrical ground contact strip leading from said socket toward said spring, and an electrical current supply contact terminal leading to said socket for connection to current supply; said socket, ground strip, and current terminal being adapted to receive a lamp in an electrical circuit between said ground strip and said current terminal; said spring being normally biased to displaceably urge said ground strip into electrical contact with said spring to close the circuit through and energize the lamp to illuminate the interior of the body when the door is open out of depressing engagement with said spring actuator arm; said spring actuator arm when the door is depressibly engaged therewith as when closed overcoming the normal bias of said spring to displace said ground strip out of electrical contact with said spring to open the circuit through and deenergize the lamp to terminate illumination of the interior of the body. 